Yellow taxis are as much a part of the NYC landscape as the Statue of Liberty. But that is changing, thanks to the rise of ride-sharing apps like Uber.
The San Francisco-based startup now has more cars on the road in the Big Apple than yellow taxis, according to a story first reported by The New York Times in October.
Surging Ahead
In a statement, the company confirmed pickups have surged in the last few years, especially in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and on Staten Island.
“Now, half of all Uber trips begin outside of Manhattan, where we continue to see the fastest growth,” Uber told the Times. Just two years ago, a mere quarter of rides started outside of Manhattan.
Uber’s growth shows no signs of slowing down. In mid-summer, it flew beyond yellow cabs in number of rides. It totaled an average of 289,000 rides in July, while the ubiquitous taxis made roughly 277,000 trips, according to the Times.
The ride-sharing company is also finding new customers in the outer boroughs of New York. In August, it made 167,194 total weekly pickups, compared to 56,721 a year ago, the Times reported.
Speedy Strides
And while it has a considerable stronghold on the ride-hailing market, its competitors are gaining speed. Just over half of Lyft’s pickups are outside Manhattan — not including rides from busy airports JFK and LaGuardia.
It’s hard to beat the cost of an Uber or Lyft ride — riders told the Times it’s ultimately about speed, reliability and cost, with Uber rides usually priced at less than $10.
Only time will tell if taxis will go the route of phone booths and encyclopedia’s — relics that have been surpassed by the digital revolution.
